The present invention relates generally to seating units, and relates more particularly to gliding seating units.
For many years, rocking chairs have been popular furniture pieces in the home. The repetitive rocking motion of the chair can be quite relaxing and comforting to a seated occupant. In addition, the appearance of the rocking chair can allow it to be used with a variety of furniture styles, particularly traditional styles with a heavy emphasis on visible wood.
In recent years, furniture designers have looked for alternatives to rocking chairs that can provide a similarly relaxing repetitive motion. One alternative has been the gliding chair, or xe2x80x9cgliderxe2x80x9d, which includes components that enable the seat portion of the chair to xe2x80x9cglidexe2x80x9d forwardly and rearwardly relative to its base to mimic generally the rocking motion of a rocking chair. Often the gliding structure comprises a set of swing links (usually two at the front of the chair, and two at the rear) that are pivotally attached at their upper ends to the base and extend downwardly therefrom to attach to a mounting structure, such as a bracket, that is attached to the seat. In this configuration, the seat is suspended from the base and is free to swing forwardly and rearwardly in a double pendulum-type motion in response to a forwardly or rearwardly-directed force applied by a seated occupant. The gliding path of the chair is controlled by the configuration and mounting of the swing links. These chairs can be constructed to resemble traditional rocking chairs on appearance and thus are quite popular. One example of such a glider is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,996 to Trent.
One issue that can arise with gliders of this type is that, absent a preventative mechanism, the suspended seat glides freely at all times and can be somewhat unstable. Such unrestricted motion may be undesirable under certain conditions, such as when the occupant would prefer a stable seating unit for comfort, ease of use, or entering on exiting the chair. As a result, some chairs have offered the capability to lock the seat into one or more positions. One approach, exemplified by a gliding chair available from Dutalier, Ltd. (Quebec, Canada), employs a mechanism that includes a member attached to the seat of the chair that has multiple downwardly-extending projections that can engage a rod attached to the base. The projections can be lowered to engage the rod, thereby locking the seat in place. Another approach employs a member attached to the base with projections that extend upwardly to engage a pin attached to the seat, with the pin being able to be lowered to engage the projections and lock the chair in place. However, both of these approaches provide a relatively limited range of positions in which the seat can be locked, and they can be particularly deficient in positions where the seat is well forward of the base, these positions being desirable in assisting elderly or feeble occupants in rising from the chair.
A gliding seating unit of the present invention may address some of the shortcomings of prior gliding seating units by providing a locking system with multiple locking positions, and in particular locking positions at extreme front and rear locations. The gliding seating unit comprises: a base configured to rest upon an underlying surface; a seat positioned generally above the base; front and rear swing links attached to the base and seat, the front and rear swing links being constructed and mounted such that the seat is suspended from the base and is free to glide along a longitudinal path responsive to a longitudinally-directed force; and a locking mechanism attached to the base and seat. The locking mechanism is movable between locked and unlocked positions, wherein in the unlocked position, the seat frame is free to glide along the longitudinal path, and in the locked position, the seat frame is prevented from gliding along the longitudinal path. The locking mechanism comprises: a first engagement member fixed to and below the seat; and a second engagement member pivotally interconnected with the base and configured to engage the first engagement member in one of a plurality of engagement locations. Engagement of the first and second engagement members at each of the plurality of engagement locations corresponds to a different relative position of the seat and base along the longitudinal path. The locking member is configured such that, in the locked position, the second engagement member is raised to engage the first engagement member, and in the unlocked position, the second engagement member is lowered and disengaged from the first engagement member. In this configuration, the gliding seating unit can provide locked positions when the seat is well forward or well rearward of center.
In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes: the first engagement member described above; a connecting link pivotally interconnected with the first engagement member at a first pivot; a lock swing link pivotally interconnected with the connecting link at a second pivot; a post extending transversely from the lock swing link and configured to be received in one of the engagement pockets; a control link pivotally interconnected with the lock swing link; and a base mounting bracket adapted to be fixed to the base of the seating unit, the control link being pivotally interconnected to the base mounting bracket. The locking mechanism is movable between a locked position, in which the post engages the first engagement member, and an unlocked position, in which the post is disengaged from the first engagement member.